Habits of happy people

1. Limit media, especially social media. Any opportunity to compare yourself to others increases pressure we put on ourselves.

2. Be your own best friend. When your self-critic is beating up on you, ask: How would I speak to my best friend or loved one?

3. Be selfish. Putting your needs first is actually not selfish at all. Happiness extends up to 3 degrees of separation. Your happiness will be infectious and others will appreciate it.

4. Pursue happiness instead of success. Our culture equates success with being a super-person. But super-busy people are stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Finding your own happiness will lead to energy, motivation, creativity, and fun.

5. Make happiness a habit. Make a list of things that make you happy, and build them into your routine. It is never too late to start to make things automatic, instead of always thinking, 'some day.'

6. Practice saying 'no.' Decide your top 5 priorities, and say 'no' to everything else. Life will re-order around your own needs.

7. Focus on experiences vs. things. Scientists found people who are highly dependent upon material things find it harder to be grateful, whereas those who are not reliant on possessions score much higher in life satisfaction.